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Sarah Baker (actress)

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Sarah Baker
Occupations
  • Actress
  • comedian
Years active2002–present

Sarah Baker is an American actress and comedian, best known for roles in movies such as The Campaign and Mascots, and TV shows like The Kominsky Method and Louie.

Life and career

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Baker honed her improvisational and sketch comedy skills at The Groundlings.[1]

In 2012, Baker appeared in the comedy The Campaign as Mitzi Huggins, wife of Zach Galifianakis' congressional candidate, along with Will Ferrell. At the time, the Jay Roach-directed film was the highest grossing political-campaign themed movie in North America.[2] In 2014, she played Becky in Tammy, starring Melissa McCarthy, and directed by Ben Falcone. Baker has also appeared as Pamela Lowi in The Good Lie, about the Lost Boys of Sudan, which was directed by Philippe Falardeau (director of the Oscar-nominated Monsieur Lazhar).[3] In 2015, she appeared in Barry Levinson's Rock the Kasbah, alongside Bill Murray.

In 2016, she was in a number of films, including Christopher Guest's Mascots where she played Mindy Murray, aka Tammy the Turtle. Other movies released in 2016 include The Meddler, starring Susan Sarandon and directed by Lorene Scafaria, where Baker played Elaine. Baker also appeared opposite Shirley MacLaine in The Last Word and in the film adaptation of the acclaimed Speech & Debate, playing Ms. Riggi. In 2018, she appeared as Gildred in Melissa McCarthy's Life of the Party, and co-starred in Paul Feig's A Simple Favor.

On television, Baker was seen as series regular Sonia on the NBC comedy Go On, starring Matthew Perry, as a support group member dealing with the loss of her cat.[4] In 2017, she played the recurring role of Thea Cunningham on HBO's limited series Big Little Lies, based on the popular book of the same name.[5]

She also appeared as Vanessa on the FX show Louie;[6][7][8][9] this performance was nominated for the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Guest Performer in a Comedy Series.[10] Entertainment Weekly included the performance in its "50 Best TV Scenes" of 2014,[11] and later nominated the performance for one of their annual "EWwy Awards."[12] The performance was included on numerous year-end "best of" lists for 2014, including NPR's "50 Wonderful Things from 2014".[13] This role later led to Baker's performance as Trinity on Pamela Adlon's Better Things in 2016, in an episode written by Adlon and Louis CK.[14]

Other TV appearances have included guest and recurring roles on shows such as A to Z, Bob's Burgers, Bones, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, The Crazy Ones, Ghosted, Graves, Great News, In the Motherhood, Kath & Kim, Key & Peele, Mike & Molly, Modern Family, New Girl, The Office (U.S. version), Santa Clarita Diet, Sean Saves the World, as well as her favorite guest appearance on a TV show, Comedy Bang! Bang![15] In 2018, Baker appeared in the acclaimed "Kill All Others" episode of Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams, alongside Mel Rodriguez.[16] Baker appears in the DVD/Blu-ray bonus scenes of the hit comedy Bridesmaids, as a nurse arguing with an injured Paul Rudd. Online, she was seen as Arabella, faithful servant to Megan Mullally in the Funny or Die video Home for Actresses.[17]

Baker is a regular in the Netflix series The Kominsky Method, alongside Michael Douglas and Alan Arkin as Mindy, Douglas' character's daughter.[18] After winning a Golden Globe for Best Comedy Series, the show was renewed for a second season in January 2019.[19] A third and final season of the show was announced in 2020, shortly before it was nominated for an Emmy for Best Comedy Series.[20]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
2002 Sweet Home Alabama Dix
2011 Bridesmaids Skating Rink Nurse
Home for Actresses Arabella Short film
2012 The Campaign Mitzi Huggins
2014 The Good Lie Pamela
Tammy Becky
2015 Rock the Kasbah Maureen
2016 The Meddler Elaine
Brother Nature Shannon
Mascots Mindy Murray
2017 The Last Word Zoe
Speech & Debate Ms. Riggi
2018 Life of the Party Gildred
A Simple Favor Maryanne Chelkowsky
Smallfoot Soozie's Mom (voice)
2019 The Death of Dick Long Officer Dudley
2020 Superintelligence Emily
2021 Thunder Force Sarah
2023 Paint Lady in the Window

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
2005 The Lance Krall Show Various Main cast
2008 Kath & Kim Marjorie Episode: "Sacrifice"
2008–2009 Free Radio Emo Sarah Main cast
2009 In the Motherhood Doris Episodes: "Vacation" and "In Sickness and in Health"
2010 The Office Josie Episode: "The Delivery"
Good Luck Charlie Carla Episode: "Charlie Is 1"
2011 In Gayle We Trust Smith 10 webisodes
Bones Kim Episode: "The Truth in the Myth"
2012,
2017–2018
Modern Family Twins' Mom Episode: "Disneyland"
Shirl Chambers Episodes: "Basketball" and "In Your Head"
2012–2013 Go On Sonia Recurring episodes 1–13; main cast episode 14 onwards
2013 Sean Saves the World Tippy Episode: "Best Friends for Never"
2014 The Crazy Ones Jean Episode: "Love Sucks"
Louie Vanessa Episode: "So Did the Fat Lady"
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver Allison Episode: "State Legislatures and ALEC"
2014–2017
2019–2023
Bob's Burgers Rena, Ms. Selbo,
Bethany, Jacob, Terry (voice)
10 episodes
2015 A to Z Jennifer Episode: "J Is for Jan Vaughan"
Mike & Molly Stacey Episode: "The Last Temptation of Mike"
Other Space Alien 3 episodes
Key & Peele Barista Episode: "MC Mom"
Married Mindy Episode: "Mother's Day"
Fresh Off the Boat Gator Carol Episode: "Family Business Trip"
Your Pretty Face Is Going to Hell Wendy Episode: "Heaven"
Mike Tyson Mysteries Molly Gibson (voice) Episode: "A Plaintive Wail"
2015–2016 TripTank Various voices 3 episodes
2016 Workaholics Sara Episode: "Death of a Salesdude"
Idiotsitter Virginia Episodes: "Funeral" and "Finale"
Grace and Frankie Gretchen Episode: "The Anchor"
Goliath Lily Suzanne Daniels Episodes: "Line of Fire" and "Beauty and the Beast"
Better Things Trinity Episode: "Duke's Chorus"
Comedy Bang! Bang! Al's Mom Episode: "Allison Janney Wears a Chambray Western Shirt
and Suede Fringe Boots"
2017 Sofia the First Woman in the Portrait (voice) Episode: "Hexley Hall"
Big Little Lies Thea Cunningham 6 episodes
Foursome Principal Slacks Episode: "The Big Finish"
Dr. Ken Kylie Episode: "Ken's Professor"
Great News Joyce Vickley Episodes: "Bear Attack", "War Is Hell", "Sensitivity Training"
2017–2018 Brooklyn Nine-Nine Kylie Episodes: "Chasing Amy", "Bachelor/ette Party"
2017 Ghosted Deb Episode: "Pilot"
Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams Maggie Noyce Episode: "Kill All Others"
Graves Becky Keegan Episodes: "Something Left to Love", "All the King's Horses"
2017–2021 Young Sheldon Ms. Sheryl Hutchins Recurring; 11 episodes
2018 Santa Clarita Diet Ruby Sanders Episode: "Suspicious Objects"
New Girl Judith Episode: "Mario"
I Feel Bad Anna Mae Episode: "I Need My Mom"
2018–2021 The Kominsky Method Mindy Kominsky Main role
2019–2020 Harvey Girls Forever! Irona (voice) 8 episodes
2019 Life in Pieces Eve Episode: "Four Short Fairy Tales"
2020 The Conners Helen Episode: "Mud Turtles, A Good Steak and One Man in a Tub"
Will & Grace Cathy Episode: "New Crib"
2021 Bless the Harts Pastor Joanne (voice) Episode: "Easter's 11"
2021-2024 The Great North Wine Woman, Edna, Mary (voice) 10 episodes
2022 The Goldbergs Martha Episode: "Another Turkey in the Trot"
2024 Night Court Tiff Episode: "A Crime of Fashion"
Curb Your Enthusiasm Grossbard's Nanny Episode: "The Dream Scheme"

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Nominated work Result
2014 4th Critics' Choice Television Awards Best Guest Performer in a Comedy Series Nominated
11th Gold Derby Awards Best Comedy Guest Actress Nominated
2018 25th Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series The Kominsky Method Nominated
2019 26th Screen Actors Guild Awards Nominated
2022 28th Screen Actors Guild Awards Nominated

References

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  1. ^ "Set Visit: The Campaign". MovieWeb. Archived from the original on August 15, 2012. Retrieved July 25, 2012.
  2. ^ Pomerantz, Dorothy. "Election Special: 'The Campaign' Is The Top Campaign Movie". Forbes. Archived from the original on November 8, 2012. Retrieved May 11, 2012.
  3. ^ Yamato, Jen. "Corey Stoll, Sarah Baker, Sudanese Lost Boys Cast In 'The Good Lie'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on April 7, 2013. Retrieved April 3, 2013.
  4. ^ Andreeva, Nellie. "Sarah Baker upped to Regular on NBC's Comedy Series'Go On'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on September 15, 2013. Retrieved November 13, 2012.
  5. ^ Petski, Denise. (January 5, 2016) Alexander Skarsgard, James Tupper & More Join ‘Big Little Lies’ Archived April 18, 2018, at the Wayback Machine. Deadline. Retrieved on September 9, 2016.
  6. ^ Ryan, Maureen. "'Louie' Review: FX Series As Weird And Wonderful As Ever". Archived from the original on May 14, 2014. Retrieved May 13, 2014.
  7. ^ Johnson, Jessica. "Louie, Season Four Review". Archived from the original on May 14, 2014. Retrieved May 13, 2014.
  8. ^ Lowry, Brian. "TV Review: Louie". Archived from the original on December 13, 2017. Retrieved December 9, 2017.
  9. ^ Cabin, Chris. "Louie: Season Four". Archived from the original on May 14, 2014. Retrieved May 13, 2014.
  10. ^ "Broadcast TV Journalists Association Unveils Critics' Choice Television Awards Nominees". Deadline. Archived from the original on May 29, 2014. Retrieved May 28, 2014.
  11. ^ EW Staff. "The 50 Best TV Scenes of The Past Year". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on May 11, 2015. Retrieved May 16, 2015.
  12. ^ "2014 EWwy Awards: Comedy Nominees Are..." Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on August 13, 2014. Retrieved August 23, 2014.
  13. ^ Holmes, Linda. "50 Wonderful Things from 2014". NPR. Archived from the original on December 25, 2014. Retrieved December 24, 2014.
  14. ^ Liebman, Lisa. "Sarah Baker on Reuniting with Pamela Adlon". Vulture. Archived from the original on November 6, 2016. Retrieved November 5, 2016.
  15. ^ "The Pragmatic Jokers". Earwolf.com.
  16. ^ Ryan, Maureen (January 11, 2018). "TV Review: 'Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams' on Amazon". Archived from the original on July 14, 2018. Retrieved October 6, 2018.
  17. ^ "Home for Actresses". Funny or Die. December 5, 2011. Archived from the original on January 21, 2013. Retrieved December 8, 2012.
  18. ^ Petski, Denise (January 19, 2018). "'The Kominsky Method': Sarah Baker Joins Netflix Comedy As Series Regular, Seven More Cast". Deadline. Archived from the original on February 26, 2018. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
  19. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (January 17, 2019). "'The Kominsky Method' Renewed For Season 2 By Netflix". Deadline. Archived from the original on January 19, 2019. Retrieved September 6, 2019.
  20. ^ "'The Kominsky Method' Renewed for Third & Final Season at Netflix". July 2, 2020.
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